The saying “When it rains it pours” certainly relates well to my garden.  So often it’s slim pickings in my vegetable and herb garden, but when I do get a crop you can bet your life it’s a bumper crop then its time for some cucumber relish!
A few weeks ago I started drowning in cucumbers.
![Home Grown Cucumbers Home Grown Cucumbers](https://www.meatandtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/IMG_1354.jpg)
After I proudly photographed the cucumbers for my instagram feed (doesn’t everyone do that??). I started wondering what I was going to do with these giants.
![Cucumber Relish "The Old Fashioned Way" Cucumber Relish "The Old Fashioned Way"](https://www.meatandtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Cucumber-Relish-the-old-fashioned-way.jpg)
There is only so much cucumber you can add to a salad or sandwich! Also, these cucumbers had been left a little long on the vine so they were slightly bitter.
I started looking through some old family recipes. Pickled cucumber and cucumber relish seemed the obvious choices as it would be easy to make a huge batch.
![Cucumber Relish Cucumber Relish](https://www.meatandtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Cucumber-Relish-Titled-LR.jpg)
The recipe yields about 8- 10 jars of cucumber relish so make sure you have enough sterilised jars prior to starting.
As I was making the relish I started counting off which neighbours would be receiving a little condiment gift. There was no way all of these were going to fit in my fridge!
![Cucumber Relish "The Old Fashioned Way"](https://www.meatandtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Cucumber-Relish-the-old-fashioned-way.jpg)
Retro Cucumber Relish
Ingredients
- 1 kg cucumber
- 1 Tbs salt
- 25 gm fresh ginger grated
- 5 chillies chopped
- 15 gm ground tumeric
- 250 gm brown onion chopped
- 460 gm brown sugar
- 950 ml vinegar
- 1/2 cup corn flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Instructions
- Thinly slice the cucumber on a mandolin.
- Sprinkle the cucumber with salt to draw out some of the moisture. Leave to sit for 1/2 hour.
- Prepare jars and lids by washing them in warm soapy water.
- Turn the oven onto 120 degrees.
- Once the glasses are clean place them on a tray and into the oven to sterilise.
- After 15 minutes turn the oven off but leave the glasses in the oven.
- Wash the salt off the cucumber.
- Combine the cornflour and water until a smooth paste forms. Reserve for later use.
- Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large saucepan and allow to simmer gently for 40 minutes whilst stirring.
- Add the cornflour paste to the relish and stir until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove the relish from the heat and carefully pour the hot mixture into the hot jars.
- Fill the jars within a centimetre of the top and put the lid on straight away to get a vacuum seal.
Cucumber Relish delivered to you door!
Once the last of the cucumber relish was safely bottled I asked Anais if she wanted to do the deliveries.
I was pretty impressed that I had managed to use up a kilo of cucumbers. I really don’t like to waste food.
![Retro Cucumber Relish Retro Cucumber Relish](https://www.meatandtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Retro-Cucumber-Relish.jpg)
The resulting relish was so much better than the giant bitter cucumbers!
![Cucumber Relish Recipe with Chilli Cucumber Relish Recipe with Chilli](https://www.meatandtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Pickles.jpg)
Adding the chilli to the cucumber relish recipe didn’t make it hot, it just added another layer to the flavour.
The relish is absolutely delicious on a steak sandwich in place of sauce, I smothered my steak in it and loved every bite! I’m sure it would go well with any meat or cheese sandwich.
The cucumber relish is absolutely delicious on a steak sandwich in place of sauce, I smothered my steak in it and loved every bite! I’m sure it would go well with any meat or cheese sandwich.
this is so yummy. I will keep this recipe as my favorite for using up cucumbers in future
This relish is fantastic. Had loads of home grown cucumbers. Just sad I didn’t find the recipe until near the end of the summer. Have kept the unopened jars in cool dark cupboard and the relish is still OK after 6 months. Have used it gradually over the winter – once the jar was opened have kept in the fridge.